The Charleston Marketing Podcast
Welcome to The Charleston Marketing Podcast, the podcast that dives deep into the world of marketing, with a specific focus on the vibrant city of Charleston. Join us as we explore the strategies, trends, and success stories that shape the marketing landscape in this historic and captivating coastal city.
Each episode of The Charleston Marketing Podcast brings you exclusive interviews with local marketing experts, industry thought leaders and Charleston entrepreneurs who have harnessed the power of effective marketing in the Lowcountry and beyond. From strategic communication, social media, PR, digital strategy and everything in between, we uncover valuable insights and actionable tips for our listeners.
The Charleston Marketing Podcast
The Charleston Influencer's Journey w/ Nicole Farina aka The Charleston Diaries
How are we doing? Who do you want to learn from next? Text us with notes and ideas.
Nicole Farina never expected her spontaneous move to Charleston during the pandemic would transform her into one of the city's most recognized digital voices. What began as a simple notebook entry—"The Charleston Diaries: a storytelling platform"—evolved into a thriving social media presence with over 64,000 TikTok followers and 3.4 million likes.
The magic of Farina's content lies in its authenticity. While many influencers were polishing their Instagram aesthetics, Nicole was filming weekend adventures on her phone, speaking directly to her audience through casual voiceovers. "Welcome to the Charleston Diaries," she'd say before taking viewers along to local restaurants, beach walks, and everyday moments that showcase Charleston's charm. This unfiltered approach resonated deeply, attracting not just tourists but locals and potential relocators who appreciated seeing the Lowcountry through a genuine lens.
When followers began flooding her inbox asking how to make friends in Charleston, Farina recognized a community need and organized an event that sold hundreds of tickets within hours. This entrepreneurial spirit led her to expand beyond content creation into events, podcasting, and partnerships with local businesses. However, her journey hasn't been without challenges—including a cautionary tale about an influencer management company that scammed multiple Charleston creators before abruptly shutting down.
Through it all, Farina has maintained her commitment to showcasing Charleston authentically while building meaningful connections. Her experience offers valuable insights for both aspiring content creators and businesses looking to engage with influencers. As she navigates her next career chapter, Nicole remains passionate about creative direction and helping others tell their stories. Whether you're planning a Charleston visit, considering a move, or simply looking for local inspiration, following N
MPCC Business and Community Expo 9/18/25
Please join us for our 15th annual Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Business and Community Expo, driven by Crews Subaru at the Omar Shrine Convention Center.
New this year--a job fair, our Building Business Podcast will be live onsite, and more.
Don't miss out on the Super Bowl of Networking @ Omar Shrine 11:00 am - 5:00
Presenting Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions
Title Sponsor: Charleston American Marketing Association
Cohosts: Stephanie Barrow, Mike Compton,
Produced and edited: RMBO Advertising
Photographer | Co-host: Kelli Morse
Art Director: Taylor Ion
CAMA President: Margaret Stypa
Score by: The Strawberry Entrée; Jerry Feels Good, CURRYSAUCE, DBLCRWN, DJ DollaMenu
Studio Engineer: Brian Cleary and Mathew Chase
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Welcome to the Charleston Marketing Podcast, brought to you by the Charleston AMA and broadcasting from our friends at Charleston Media Solutions Studios. Thanks to our awesome sponsors at CMS, we get to chat with the cool folks making waves in Charleston, from business and art to hospitality and tech. These movers and shakers choose to call the Lowcountry home. They live here, work here and make a difference here. So what's their story? Let's find out together.
Speaker 2:Hey guys, welcome to the Charleston Marketing Podcast. Stephanie Barrow here, founder of Stephanie Barrow Consulting, a digital marketing strategy agency here in Charleston, and we are coming live kind of, you know, pre-recorded as you would say from the Charleston Media Solutions. I am joined by my friend and co-host, Mike Compton.
Speaker 3:Hey, that's me. Say what's up, mike. Hi, stephanie, how are you?
Speaker 2:I have been really good.
Speaker 3:Have you Because you've been going through some stuff. I've been going through some stuff Not to dig, but good Lord, you're getting through it, though you look good, yeah, we lost a dog he's Duke and then two of our parents have been sick, so we're back. You're back.
Speaker 2:I got some color on me. Look, don't I look cute.
Speaker 3:You don't look as pale as you did last.
Speaker 2:Thanks, I'll take it, I'm just kidding. You never look pale, steph, I've been chilling by my pool, drinking the margaritas there you go. Consoling myself.
Speaker 3:But yes, we are doing much Well. First of all, hi, mike Compton, nice to meet you. Roombo Advertising Branding strategy creative Incoming president of the Charleston American Marketing Association. Please Well, by this time I'll be president, so jump on board everybody Put your big pants on.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited for you. You know what I mean Join AMA, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 3:Because we have cool guests and cool board members really like. When I say cool, I mean like people that know, people on our board. We've got nicole farina on the house right now. She's like the charleston lifestyle influencer. I think period, right, but you who? How did we find you? Who is it katie?
Speaker 2:mark katie. Okay, I thought it was margaret.
Speaker 3:It was katie, katie because I saw katie one of your non-profits that you have is Going Places.
Speaker 4:Not me.
Speaker 3:Yeah, charles, and Diaries.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, she partners with them.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you partner with them.
Speaker 3:I see what he's trying to say. Sometimes I have to let go a little. I don't have Going Places. She's like I don't have a nonprofit. No, no, but you support this.
Speaker 4:This is a good spin do yes, there you go, I'm with you now. Yeah, yeah, nice, so say hello, hello.
Speaker 3:Thank you guys for having me. I'm so excited to be here. So you have charleston diaries, you have. You can't even. You forget sometimes, you don't, you know? I mean, like, how much do you?
Speaker 4:I do so much, so much like I'm, yeah, the events too yes, and charleston diaries is kind of like I, that's kind of how I like name everything that I do. But even though my social media is technically like under my name, nicole Farina- so I do you know my influencing stuff then it's also Charleston Diaries and it all kind of is under one big umbrella love that yes, I love.
Speaker 2:I love an umbrella brand yes, awesome.
Speaker 3:How did you come up with that plan? Was it trials, tribulations? Did you have help? Did you like? Because a lot of these, a lot of. We have a lot of influencers in our membership. What was the process?
Speaker 4:Yeah, definitely a lot of trials and tribulations. I moved to Charleston in 2020. I was 24, two years out of college, and I graduated college in 2018. I'm from Delaware originally.
Speaker 3:Oh wow, Cool. Don't know many people from Delaware.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's cool. There's not many of us.
Speaker 2:There's not much to do in Delaware. Yeah, that's cool. There's not many of us.
Speaker 4:There's not much to do in Delaware. You decided to move to Charleston. Pretty much I was living at home. For two years after college. I swam growing up. I love coaching swimming and so I kind of was like, okay, this is my chance to see if I want to coach swimming full time.
Speaker 2:That's cool yeah.
Speaker 4:And so I did that. I this isn't my passion Calling yeah, and I was kind of just like okay, I want to move out of Delaware, I'm done with living with my parents, you know the whole thing. And I was planning on moving to New York City because I thought that was just you know.
Speaker 1:I should do that.
Speaker 4:And I was an English major. I was like, oh, let me go work in marketing or communications or something.
Speaker 2:I can see you as a journalist in New New York City.
Speaker 4:Yeah like that was definitely what I thought I wanted to do. And then obviously COVID hit, and that because I was planning on moving like that summer, oh wow. And so COVID hit and I was like, okay, so obviously not going to New York, but I also am like I'm at a point in my life that I need to go somewhere, sure. So I kind of just spent the summer just figuring it out and I was like felt Thank you Travel Leisure Magazine For bringing the cool people from all over the country.
Speaker 3:Do you think it was something like that? I think I saw it on.
Speaker 4:Pinterest. I actually think I was like on Pinterest Because I was planning on moving to New York With, like, my best friend, leah from growing up and when, obviously, covid hit. We were like, okay, we need to rethink this. And I was just like, hmm, I want to move somewhere, I need to. But what? What's our vibe? And I was like kind of thinking I want to be somewhere where it's going to be warm out if, like, everything shuts down again.
Speaker 2:I don't want to be locked in because I was because Delaware distance on the beach by myself.
Speaker 4:Yeah because Delaware in the spring when COVID hit was still it was still cold, it was miserable. So I was just like I don't like if this happens again, I don't want to do it. So I remember going on Pinterest and I'm just like searching, I'm like seeing Savannah and Charleston, but at this point I feel like Charleston. You know, five years ago Charleston wasn't as big as it is now and it was still kind of like under the radar.
Speaker 1:I didn't know anything about it um.
Speaker 4:So I kind of just like I just had this really big gut feeling and I was like I'm gonna move to Charleston and Leah was like okay, she'd been there a couple times, she went to college in Myrtle Beach.
Speaker 2:So she's been to oh, she was somewhat familiar, somewhat familiar, but, like you know, not that familiar.
Speaker 4:but we were just kind of like let's do it, and so we like, came down. I came down for the first time in September of 2020 to Apartment Hunt, and then I moved here a month later.
Speaker 4:I was curious did you just pull up, which was interesting, but it was kind of like I just had to do it. It was because I was moving with my friend Leah and then another friend, allie, and it was kind of like for us to all get the apartment to all get like we just kind of had to pull the trigger. So we moved and it was my third day in that apartment and I was sitting like at my desk and I was kind of like writing, brainstorming, like trying to figure out what I want to do, and had another like epiphany, and I was like I'm going to make something called the Charleston Diaries. I didn't know what it was going to be and I still have the notebook there. I like wrote it down. I said something about like a storytelling platform blog, something about just like telling my you know, like times in Charleston.
Speaker 2:And I kind of just like it's giving very Emily in Paris vibes to me. I love that.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, and so I kind of just like sat on that. I ended up getting a job at the Post and Courier. And then the following summer, like my first summer in Charleston, I like got like a camcorder, like an old video camera, and I was like I'm just going to bring this around and like record stuff.
Speaker 2:I love it.
Speaker 4:And I'm going to make videos and because I like that's something I obviously love to do is just making videos, and I made an Instagram page called the Charleston Diaries. It was really just me and my friends just like going out on the weekends or like going to do something. It had like a hundred followers.
Speaker 1:It was just like my friends.
Speaker 4:And then so that was summer 2021. And then, going into the fall and winter, I was like, oh, I want to get back to like my writing roots, like I want to add more to this Charleston Diaries thing. So I started, I made a website, I started a blog Again, it's like no one was actually reading this. Like it was very like I'm just doing it. People who know me are looking at it, and both the Instagram and the blog were really fun. But I didn't feel I'm like there's more to this. I need to keep flushing this out, whatever. And then it was just about three years ago. I was actually going on a first date and I was like I'm going to like vlog this and post it on TikTok.
Speaker 4:And I did like a get ready with me before. Get ready with me is like worth thing Kind of like I was just getting ready.
Speaker 2:She found a get ready with me. You've heard it?
Speaker 4:Yeah, it was me actually Not Alex Earl, it was me but I just kind of was like posting it and I kind of like you know whatever. And that video did really well and I was like, oh, that's so interesting. And I was like, oh, if people care about this, maybe they'll care if I post more about my life and more about Charleston content and whatever. And so the following weekend I vlogged my whole weekend. I didn't know I vlogged it inside the TikTok app and at that point you can only make three minute long videos and I didn't realize that you could like edit it outside the TikTok app. So I vlogged my whole weekend. I also recorded the voiceover in the app, not knowing that you could like stop and start it. I literally spoke for three minutes straight like doing my voiceover explaining my weekend, and I just was like welcome to the Charleston Diaries. This was my weekend and I posted it and basically, the rest is history.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:And it did very well and it just kind of was like people were just like what is very well, I mean, what is it? What is I mean viral for the time. Tiktok's very different now, I feel like, than it was then. I feel like at that point, like between 2020 and 2022, I feel like tiktok was very like it was still kind of flying under the radar where it was just like yeah, it was people were coming out of covid and getting back into doing things.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and people weren't. I think it was still kind of taboo to post. People weren't as comfortable and so not to say like I was one of the first people to post, but I feel like what the way I was posting?
Speaker 2:Right, right.
Speaker 4:Instead of like the aesthetic vibe that you see on Instagram of like making everything picture perfect, like I was doing it, as like I'm showing me and my friends going out. I'm showing I'm and then I'm telling you.
Speaker 2:What you're doing is over. Yeah, you can go out and enjoy your life again.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's great, um I would be like telling a story in my voiceover. So I think you know I I don't remember exactly like how well the videos did, but viral enough that it was you know like.
Speaker 3:Oh, I have something yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:And then that gave me the momentum that I was like, okay, like these Charleston Diaries videos are when I go visit a restaurant or it's just me on a random weekday, like what I do, going to work.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 4:I think it works in Charleston because pretty much anything you do here can be seen as aesthetic, you know it's beautiful here. So I think even on my like mundane things that I was posting at that time still did well, because it was Charleston was up and coming, influencing, and content creation was up and coming and it just kind of like all came together.
Speaker 2:Do you feel, like most of your followers, are people coming to visit Charleston, or are they people that already live here and looking for, like, restaurant ideas and things to do?
Speaker 4:I would say it's honestly pretty scattered across People who live here, people who are looking to move here, and then people who are just like looking to vacation here. So, it's interesting, it's kind of I've never really needed to cater to any one of those things.
Speaker 2:You're just like I'm just enjoying my life in Charleston, yeah.
Speaker 4:And it just kind of works for all of those categories.
Speaker 3:Sure yeah, who? Does anybody reach out to you and say, will you post for us?
Speaker 2:Like I would think that the town of Mount Pleasant, or IOP, or Sullivan's Island, oh, absolutely.
Speaker 3:She gets a lot of partnerships, don't you, yeah? So how does that work?
Speaker 4:For sure it depends and that's something that I've kind of struggled with, that's definitely something that people don't talk about with influencing is like what are you like worth almost. You know and like can you charge people or is it just an exchange type of thing?
Speaker 2:Can you go stay at the Dewberry for the night?
Speaker 4:yeah, and post your experience and it's like absolutely, and it's like that's, you know, obviously worth a couple hundred dollars.
Speaker 1:That sure I'll do that for free.
Speaker 4:But then there's some things that it's like oh hey, can you just come in and post this and can we, can we also just get all your content so that we can use it, and and you get no money? And I'm like oh, that doesn't work and that is a really hard thing to do when you're just doing it by yourself, and I've always been someone that like struggles a bit to not stand up for myself, but just to like.
Speaker 3:Know your worth and say no, I need to.
Speaker 4:And especially at that time, like I feel like for the first year or two, it was very you know, people weren't talking about it, you didn't, I didn't even realize that you could get paid.
Speaker 2:Right. So it was kind of like oh yeah, sure I'll do whatever.
Speaker 4:You know, because I think my brand for a while was based and I've expanded a little bit more of just talking about like I started talking about dating and and just like life in your 20s and everything. But at first it really was Charleston, um, and so, yeah, I was doing like anything anybody that came to me. I was like, oh yeah, sure.
Speaker 1:I thought it was the coolest thing ever, right?
Speaker 4:I mean it is cool, it's great, oh yeah it is and um, but then it obviously comes to a point where it's like, okay, you need to make money well, because you're putting a lot of time and effort into these videos.
Speaker 3:Yes, like I'm, that's my part in the company as a content production uh, producer, and it's, it takes time. It takes time to edit. So one of my questions was what's your, what's your stack?
Speaker 1:look like like.
Speaker 3:So you're shooting on just a cell phone. You're shooting I don't want to say just either, because obviously cell phones do great so you're shooting a cell phone, then you CapCut, then you go into and what else are you using distribution-wise? Like a toolkit for other influencers out there.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I've definitely. The way I do it now is, yeah, iphone edit in CapCut and then obviously post from there. But I used to. I've tried so many things. I've tried like recording with a nice camera and I've just found that, honestly, in the videos that I post they don't do as well Because it's almost like I feel like people don't. At least, if you're looking on TikTok and you're looking for these fun videos, you're almost going to, just from what I found, you're going to scroll past these really aesthetic videos because it's just not as relatable.
Speaker 2:Well, Meta has also come out and said that they prioritize ones where you're basically just talking at the camera.
Speaker 4:They analytically they is this real? This is true, this is true. You know this, I think so yeah okay they've said it yeah they prioritize.
Speaker 3:I believe you, but I'm like, do you find that too? Like in practice and then are you saying that these things that you're doing with these cameras the nicer cameras they feel over produced?
Speaker 4:yes, and I think that's what I was trying to do when I first started charleston diaries, like I was doing. So I, when I first started with the Instagram page, I had like the little camcorder, but then I eventually did get like a nice camera and I was recording with that and I was like, oh that's, it's just not. I don't know it just what. Something wasn't clicking. I'm like it didn't, and it also, to me, it didn't feel like it connected to my brand.
Speaker 4:I think, that's more the nicer cameras and that kind of stuff is more for, like instagram, while tiktok I feel like it's a little bit more casual, okay. So, yeah, I found that definitely phone. And then cap cut. I love cap cut. I've tried like I movie, I've tried so many different things, but cap cut is just like plug and play easy.
Speaker 2:I can't figure it out for the life of me really I'm adobe premiere like videographer guy yeah professional.
Speaker 3:We're all professionals here um.
Speaker 2:I'm a professional, let me get this the simplicity of it to me.
Speaker 3:I just I try to use it.
Speaker 4:I'd rather go to premiere and knock it out there, yeah, everybody has their thing yeah, some people like to still I know people that still edit fully in the tiktok app. Like there's big influencers that only do that okay which I just. That would drive me crazy, because I like to have it separate and then add it in.
Speaker 3:So I have one post on TikTok. Do you Were?
Speaker 2:you doing dad things, it's not me.
Speaker 3:My buddy is doing dad things.
Speaker 2:Oh, of course you were.
Speaker 3:I'll have to find it and show it to you. But it's pretty funny, but that's pretty pathetic right, I watch, I don't.
Speaker 2:I do my client's TikToks, but you know.
Speaker 3:Okay, so talk about the client. Tiktoks like what is, what is Rudd Plumbing doing?
Speaker 2:TikToks they do tip Tuesday sometimes so you publish, but most of my clients that are like, for instance, a client I work with in Boston called the Corey C Griffin Foundation. They do this annual benefit concert. They raise like millions of dollars for their non-profit and like we use like Dustin Lynch is our artist this year, so so pretty easy to make captivating. You know videos when you're pitching someone as cool as Dustin Lynch. But on the daily I have a lot of home services clients too and they do like Tip Tuesdays, that kind of thing. You know celebration videos when they win Best of Charleston, shout out to Carolina Exterminating. Those kinds of things we do.
Speaker 2:You know fun videos like that to show that it's team-centered, community-centered, locally owned and operated. So I think there's a way to do that. But for me when I'm watching TikTok it's basically like entrepreneurial women's stuff, your fun mom stuff and you still have good skin and you look good stuff. So that's the kind of videos that are catering to my or dogs. I get a lot of dogs or funny cat stuff, so that's a lot of skincare, that kind of thing cute clothes, get ready with me.
Speaker 2:Oh, amazon finds like that's the kind of stuff that I'm watching and I go out. You know I go out to dinner a lot, so I do a lot of like charleston foodie stuff that's great so that's my feed. You're welcome. You're welcome. Look at your person. Oh, do you remember that what's happening.
Speaker 3:That trend? How did I land you when you use that audio?
Speaker 2:You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. So he's just eating.
Speaker 3:We were cabining up in the mountains with another family.
Speaker 4:That's beautiful.
Speaker 3:And my buddy was just 12 shares was his idea, I'm so proud of you my buddy kevin shout out to austin air. Actually, uh, he owns austin air, kevin.
Speaker 2:I think that, uh, matthew and I did one of those, but it was like mr boombastic was something about, you know, like their sexy husband and like he was like shaving my dog and grooming it on a saturday morning and I'm like drinking like a mimosa, I'm like you know you married up with you know you made a post like that, though I just saw um doing a little bit of research on.
Speaker 3:You said that your uh fiance was your personal chef boyfriend of one year oh sorry, I didn't mean to foreshadow for you for a shadow manifest, if you want we're all about the love, all about the love your boyfriend is your personal chef, that's great yes yeah, so great, I'm a personal chef too, but I mean, that's fine. My wife, uh, she cooks too, though I learned it from my mom. I talked to my mom the other day. She said I should talk more about her on the podcast.
Speaker 2:I love your mom. I should Shout out to moms.
Speaker 2:What I like about your feed is that I follow a lot of influencers because I'm in the marketing space. A lot of everyone looks perfect all the time they make me feel bad about myself. I'm dropping off the kid braless at school. You, you're just like very chill or relaxed and very much yourself. You're just going out having a good night. How do you always? Do you ever feel like the pressure to like to change who you are? You're just that comfortable when you're in the skin oh, I've definitely felt the pressure.
Speaker 4:I think I I've definitely over the past three years, because it yeah three years. It's ebbed and flowed of like how I a lot of times my content reflects like not how I'm feeling about myself, but just like kind of just how everything in my life is going. And I think when I'm feeling confident everything's going well, it's so easy to go sit in front of a camera for me and just talk and whatever and just be open and honest. And it's the times that it's things are a little tougher, where I'm just like I'm kind of like running and hiding, but at the same time, I think I always, when I first started social media, I was very passionate and I still am about like showing real life and.
Speaker 4:I think that's what I that's always been almost like the mission behind my social media, where it's like yeah, if you go on Instagram, I think you know, when social media really started getting big, you would go on instagram. It's like all these models and everything's perfect and everyone looks whatever, and even when people were like posting, you know, I remember in college, like when you're trying to post an instagram, it's like, oh, it had to be perfectly edited and the best photo and whatever and yeah all the filters and um.
Speaker 4:Even up until a couple years ago I I feel like it was still like that. But with TikTok I just always felt as a viewer. I always felt like safe on TikTok because I feel like you know you can go on. It's like you're FaceTiming with a friend.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 4:And I think once I started posting, I was like that's how I want people to feel and that kind of started as my brand almost is like posting on social media, like obviously it was very charleston based. But then, once I started talking more about my life and everything, I was like I'd want to be like big sister is like a you know, overused phrase, but I but I did want it to feel like. I want people to feel like like I'm their friend sure have you made real friendships through this oh yeah, definitely, definitely.
Speaker 4:And that's kind of actually how I was able to turn my social media into more of a brand, where, when I first started posting I don't know if I was like the first person in Charleston to start posting like this, I don't know, but I got like a swarm of girls the first couple of weeks just being like hey, do you want to be my friend? Do you want to like meet up and grab drinks or dinner? Like how do you make friends in Charleston? How do you meet people? And I was like okay, and at the time I was like just turned 26.
Speaker 4:I was very like sure, I mean, I had a lot of friends, but I was like I'm so down, and then I.
Speaker 4:then it just started to get like oh, my God, I don't be going out every single night with people going to dinner. So that's when I was like, okay, I need to like think broader and if this is such a need, what do I do about it? And that's when I was like, oh, I should like host an event for girls in Charleston of how to make friends, because everybody's asking not just how to make friends in Charleston, but like, how do you make friends after college, how do you make friends after COVID? Because it was 2022.
Speaker 4:And it was like, you know, people are starting to, some people are still fully remote, but then other people are starting to get back into the office and whatever. And it's like how do you, how do you socialize, right? And so then I was like, oh, I should just host a big event, did you? I did, okay, and I hosted it. So I guess I started posting on TikTok in June, I think, probably a month later, like that July. I I was like, I think I'm gonna do this is when I decided. And then I hosted it in September and there were, I think I think I sold like 300 and like what the 80 tickets or something. It was crazy it was a share.
Speaker 1:It was a share.
Speaker 4:It was just a girls, it was just like a girls night event and it wasn't any like objectively looking back. Obviously I'm not like putting myself down, but it's like looking back. It. There wasn't anything special about it. It was just like I'm just talking on tiktok, saying I'm hosting this event for any girls that want to come make friends. Like there's going to be a couple vendors there, like I reached out or actually I think some brands reached out to me. Then I also like reached out to a couple and also you had like vendors there, I had like four vendors there um just as like something to do you?
Speaker 1:know, and like shopping or whatever.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and I also really, obviously I'm so passionate about charleston. I just like want to support local businesses. It's like, oh, this is great, and I did it at sharehouse, and um, at first they were like okay, we'll give you, like, we'll give you like 100 tickets, like, and you can have the back. Or at first they were like you can have the front corner of the of the bar right and the girl that I was working with at the time like their events person.
Speaker 4:She like she was very realistic where she was like I know that you just started social media literally two months ago, but I know, like I really believe in what you're doing, and so she was like pushing them and just being like no, she's gonna sell more and I like sold those 75 tickets in like an hour so they're like, okay, we're gonna give you more and whatever, and so then up being like, okay, you can have full capacity of the entire place Did you get a keeper percentage.
Speaker 2:Yes, there you go.
Speaker 4:So the great thing about all this is that it launched this career. The bad thing is that I had to quit my full-time job because of it Okay, because I was working at Explore Charleston. Oh, okay, yeah. And so I started Explore Charleston earlier that year. I was working in media. I loved it and I think that was a big reason why I really enjoyed getting to know Charleston more and also understanding hospitality and the importance of it in our economy. Right, and that's what I really was like. I think that was a big part of what gave me the push to also start posting on social media. But whatever, I'd been posting all summer. Then I was starting to plan this event. And it's not that I wasn't, it's not that I was keeping it secret at work, but it's just I wasn't talking about it. I didn't think that I needed to. And then it was like a week before the event A week or two before the event, I had a meeting with both my bosses and HR and they call me About this.
Speaker 4:Well, they like, and I had no idea. They just like call in a meeting and they're just like so tell us about the Charleston Diaries. And I was like, oh well, it's, you know, I post this stuff, blah, blah, blah. Like. You know, I go to the restaurants, I do all this stuff. And they're like okay, so we know We've. And I was like oh, so why? And they were like it's a conflict of interest and because. And then they're like oh, and then this event that you're doing in two weeks, like you can't work here while you do that, because it was going to be it, since it was going to be at Sharehouse.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 4:And Explore Charleston. For those who don't know, it's the like tourism company of Charleston, yeah. And they have members and you can join restaurants hotels.
Speaker 4:You're promoting someone who can join to be a member of Explore Charleston, and even though Sharehouse was a member, it's like I was making money from that. So then it's like I'm making money. So then it's like but then they were also like OK, well, if you're promoting members but you're also promoting non-members, so as an employee like you can't do that. And I was just like OK, you're promoting members, but you're also promoting non-members, so as an employee like you can't do that. And I was just like okay. So I was like okay, well, I guess I'm going to quit my job. Because it was kind of they gave me like two, they gave me like two days to decide, and it was kind of like you need to pick.
Speaker 3:That's a jump. Oh it was such a jump.
Speaker 4:I was yeah, I put so much work into that event and sold all those tickets, you know, worked with all these, you know vendors and worked really closely with ShareHouse and I was like I feel like if I cancel this event two weeks before, like I would, I feel like I'd burn a lot of bridges there.
Speaker 3:Sure.
Speaker 4:And I just was like I don't, for like, at the very end I'm like I just no matter what happens next, I just needed to go through with that event. Yeah, and I'm glad I did. Obviously it's been. You know, it has not been an easy path the past three years.
Speaker 3:It would have been easier if they kept you on board, I'm sure, oh for sure, yeah, yeah, and I do Shame you couldn't partner in some way to make all that happen?
Speaker 4:There's still possibilities. I see you're partnering with somebody.
Speaker 3:Is that the other part of your little story that we were going to talk about? No, no, no, actually.
Speaker 4:But I swear I've lived a million lives and you've only been here for a handful of years. I've been here for almost five years and then I've been doing this for three years.
Speaker 3:There's no other hustler. You are. I appreciate that I don't know. Nowadays it's bad to be a hustler, right, yeah, but, but, but you've crushed it like well, it's just been.
Speaker 2:It's like having good restaurant meals and stuff.
Speaker 3:Oh, that's right. Yeah, you seem like you get good sleep and you know you're not like hustling, like yeah, like 24, 7 abc, you know like well, it's a hard.
Speaker 4:I have been hustling the past three years and it's like I am still in the the space of trying to figure, like I. I would love to get to a point where I'm just smooth sailing Good luck with that. I don't know if I'm ever going to get there, but it's been a lot of ups and downs, Simply put financially, to be honest. I obviously got let go. That was a couple weeks ago, but when I left Export Charleston I was not financially ready to make any sort of leave.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. And I was like that Are you still living with your roommate this time? No, okay.
Speaker 4:So I oh damn. Yeah, well, they both. So I was living with my two roommates, who I moved here with my two best friends, and we lived together for four years and then actually this time last year Well, I guess it was the spring last year, but they were like so we're both moving home.
Speaker 3:Oh, come on.
Speaker 4:And I know I love them so much, everything's fine, but it was a very big shock to my life and system, and so then I was like, okay, time to live alone. So then I lived alone, and then I had this crazy landlord situation the past year, yes, and I'm actually in a bit of a legal situation with her now, it's crazy, it's, it's fine, I just had to get out of.
Speaker 2:She's just anyways, anyways but are you still in love with charleston?
Speaker 4:yes, I am and it's. I've had a rough. Um, that's so funny. You said that because I've had a really rough like past, like month or two just with like personal stuff. And the past couple days my boyfriend and I have just been like just doing stuff around charleston and, just like you know, we went on the Palmetto Breeze, we went in a we went in a helicopter around Charleston, which was amazing and we just like even went on a beach walk last night.
Speaker 4:I was like, wow, I've like fallen back in love with it and I just I had to move the past month really quickly and there was just like a lot going on. I was like wait, I love it here, like it's just it does get frustrating of like how crowded it gets and you know all that kind of stuff, but I'm like this is just the best place ever you know so agreed, keep doing what you're doing yeah, um, as far as the finances and the lifelong, it's always yeah, no matter what, right but just keep following your dreams, the money will come yeah, I know it's cliche, but it's so true, I'm like walking.
Speaker 2:You have a good support system amongst other influencers. You because we have the ama, so we're all collaborating and working together all the time. Do you have that for your influencers?
Speaker 4:definitely yeah, and I think, like we, you know, when I first started out I was just kind of like me doing my thing and then it kind of, like, you know, more people started to move here and then I just started to get connected to more people and then it was just like I would be invited to these events. And at first I was very nervous to go to the events, cause I'm just like I'm a little shy where I just I'm like, ah, like I don't, whatever.
Speaker 3:You're real shy. You're real shy, I know you wouldn't think that.
Speaker 4:But I like there's some people that are like all best friends with each other and you're like I don't know whatever, and but then it got to a point where, once I started going to them, I'm like, oh, I don't even have to worry about who's invited, because I know I'm gonna know people there. And that became like a really nice thing, where it's just like, yeah, I can just show up alone because I'm I know enough people now and everybody's really friendly and you know, everybody wants to support each other. And, um, jumping ahead here, but we had uh, I'm gonna get into what I was telling you- yeah, yeah, no, I'll transition into that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so because your support right, it's a support group yes or influencers. How big is the influencing scene here in charleston?
Speaker 4:real quick it's gotten so much bigger in the past couple months. Last year, I would say like last year. This time last year it was like a. It was still like a small-ish group, um. But I think, one, people keep moving here and two, I think people are starting to now feel more comfortable with posting. So it's like people are able to just post, you know, fun videos and then they're also becoming an influencer, if that makes sense. So I think the way social media is expanding now is like opening the influencing door no.
Speaker 3:So influencing now isn't just like a thing that people and brands are trying to include, like last minute.
Speaker 2:It's being implemented in the very beginning yes, yes, it's part of the original brand strategy. Exactly, exactly, yeah um.
Speaker 3:So here you will find yourself. In charleston, you're loving charleston and you. You've posted a few and you see this lots of people saying, hey, I want to hang out. Um, and then now you have a decent size influencing group of people, right, women, then maybe men I don't know, there's a couple guys, yeah, okay cool, cool, cool um whatever holy city handcraft. We've had holy city, that's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love it, I see I saw him at uh charlest and Food.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So now you have this group of people and you're like, yes, let's do this, I'm going to help you, you're going to help me. And now you found this management team.
Speaker 4:Yes, so about last year.
Speaker 3:How did they find you? They found me Local.
Speaker 4:So they were local, yeah, so about probably spring.
Speaker 3:Do we know?
Speaker 4:where they live. Oh, were local, yeah, so about probably spring do we know, where they live.
Speaker 4:Oh, they're gone now. I'm sure they are. Yes, so we. It was probably. It was like last spring I was starting to be like I am just getting a little bit in over my head with managing charleston diaries. I, you know, I started my podcast, I was doing my events, I was doing all this stuff and I'm also, you know, trying to manage being an influencer for myself, because the great thing about TikTok is like TikTok can reach anybody and that's how I've been able to grow my brand. Is that my stuff, even when I'm not talking about Charleston, like it can blow up, which is great and that's how I've been able to get connected with brands and do brand partnerships and whatever.
Speaker 4:But you know, obviously it takes time to make videos and whatever. So I was just getting very overwhelmed and I'm like I want to get I know I can get more brand partnerships. I don't have time to pitch myself Like whatever. So I was like, okay, I want to figure out how to get a manager. I'm like I don't even know if I have enough followers, but like I feel like I probably do whatever. Then it was so crazy Like a week later I got an email and it was from this company and she basically you know the owner reached out and she was like we would, you know, we're Charleston based whatever Management company agency and we would love to chat with you.
Speaker 4:And I was like, okay, this is crazy timing, sure. And then she sent me like before we even met, she sent me like a full pitch of like how she sees my brand developing and everything. And I was like, because I always struggle, I feel like people don't always get it, and so I just was like, oh, she sees my vision. And so we met and everything was great and obviously there was a lot of back and forth. They sent me a couple of pitches and a couple of whatever templates and after a month I finally decided I was like okay, I'm going to sign with them. Obviously there was a lot of thought went into it. I talked to my dad in communications and stuff. A lot of thought went into it. You know, I talked to my dad's in in communications and stuff and so he like looked over everything.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's like he was like just you know, be careful, but like I think this is good and I knew another.
Speaker 2:They had a website.
Speaker 4:Yep, okay, and everything seemed very reputable and I had um one of my influencer friends had signed with them like the same day as me, and we didn't realize it oh you, you didn't realize it, yeah.
Speaker 4:Okay. But then we like put two and do the other and I'm like, okay, if Morgan which I can say her name because we've talked about this but like if Morgan signed. And then I'm like, oh, I trust her Because she's a very like, I'm a lot more like the creative, like type A, like very, very she she sees influencing as a business, and I was just, I very much trusted her and like her judgment too. And then I saw like a couple other people signed and I'm like, okay, we're good. And you know, the summer went on, and at that point I was like, okay, I'm going to take a break, take a break from my podcast, take a break from events, do a little cause. I also coach a swim team in the summer. So I was like I can't, I cannot do this all sure so whatever.
Speaker 4:But I was like, okay, I have my management team behind me, like they're helping me get some brand deals there. We're thinking big picture for the fall of how do I, you know, start season two of my podcast? We were planning, um, to host an event. I think my, my event was going to be in like October, my, like you know, next one, and everything was okay. And then, towards like the end of the summer, I start hearing from morgan and then some other people that are in because they're at this point they've acquired like 12 clients, okay, and I'm like, okay, there's only like three people that work for this company. Like, how do you?
Speaker 3:what is it to do though? How what is it the company's doing? Gigs like partnership like a management company.
Speaker 2:Yeah, basically like a talent agent for influencers.
Speaker 4:But it's yes, and but like for me specifically, like my people were working really closely with me, because it was like, okay, they're trying to manage me as nicole the influencer, get me brand deals, whatever, but then they're also helping me fully, like create the charleston diaries and, like you know, grow that brand and this management team is helping you.
Speaker 3:yeah, so you're seeing things happen.
Speaker 4:Yes, I'm seeing that, but it's a lot of ideas, but still, I'm like this is a lot of time. So I'm like, how are they doing this for 11 other people? You know what I mean. So I'm like I was almost like what am I like? I just didn't get it.
Speaker 2:So then I'm starting oh, they're paying them directly so what?
Speaker 3:that was my next question.
Speaker 4:You're paying them so what the management team was was we had to do like a sign-on fee, and which I didn't think anything of it because, oh, I, I don't know, I just didn't. It made sense to me, um, because they're the way that they were saying. It was like um, you know, you're not gonna make any brand, you're not gonna make any money from brand deals for, like, in the first month that we're working with you, like whatever, and I was like, okay, fine, sure, but then I, the way that it would work if we get a brand deal is that the brand would pay them. They would take their cut, which was like 20%, I think it was industry standard. Whatever it was, I can't remember exactly what it was.
Speaker 1:And then they would pay us.
Speaker 4:Yeah, um, I got my money actually. No, I never did get one one uh paycheck, but at the time that I started hearing it from people, I got my money. But then I started hearing like, oh, they're not getting paid. I'm like, all right, this is a little fishy. Then, like I'm starting to talk to some other people and they're all kind of saying like, oh, like this is, this is just weird whatever, and long story short, then it's september, like mid-september of last year.
Speaker 4:Yeah, okay maybe towards the end of september, and because I was about oh okay, because I was getting ready to host a halloween event that was gonna be like my big event that I was doing um to like come back from my little break, and we've been planning it, planning it and we had like a shoot, like a content shoot for it coming. And one of the girls that works for the agency who I love, hillary she's amazing she like called me or she texted me one like a Sunday night and was like call me, like as soon as you can, and I texted her back like the next morning at 7 am oh sorry, I missed it.
Speaker 4:Like, call me, like literally as soon as whatever, and she calls me and I was in Harris Teeter at like seven, 30 in the morning. I don't know why, but I'm like, oh, hey, what's up? And she's like, um, you need to not work with.
Speaker 4:I don't want to say the the person's name, but you need to not work with her and I was like, what do you mean? She's like get, I haven't gotten paid. The other girl that's working hasn't gotten paid. We know, da, da, da. She's like she is lying about everything. It's all a scam. And I'm like, I'm like, oh, and I'm like standing there in Harris Teeter, like what are you talking?
Speaker 1:about, oh my god, and she's like and she's like.
Speaker 4:I'll explain more, but like you need to make sure that you do not do this, you need to like the main client that had I had like the biggest project coming up, so she called me for because everybody else was kind of like influencer stuff, where it's not as right this was like a big thing that we were doing.
Speaker 4:We were working with another agency to do the content, so it was like a lot of people were about to get screwed over. So she's like your main thing right now is we get you out of the content shoot tomorrow. And I'm like okay. So I like set up sick, so I'm like that buys me like a little bit of time. Sorry, Like let's push it till next week, whatever.
Speaker 4:And long story short, like yeah, we find out that she wasn't playing paying any of her employees. There were so many of the of like us influencers that weren't getting their money and then for some of them, she was having them pay her like monthly. And we found out that it was everybody's contract and like was different, was different. Some people had to pay her. Then we find out that it's all the money is recycled. So if one person was paying their monthly fee to her of whatever and I'm then that's how I'm gonna get it was all like dirty money. Like I was like I'm taking somebody else's money to get my page because she was like spending it. She was using like our brand money on like her rent and like all this stuff was this person from charleston?
Speaker 4:no, okay, so she came in, she came in to do this saw an opportunity yep and fully. And then we kind of like, how old is this operation?
Speaker 1:not old right and she's influencing yeah, it's just yeah, like two years.
Speaker 4:But, so she, basically she told all of us that she had was where she worked at Vogue, she worked at Glossier, all this stuff. That was all a lie. Oh, so we, everything had been uncovered, and I think the girl that I, hillary, who had told me everything, she had been like working on uncovering this for a while.
Speaker 4:No so she had like, but she obviously couldn't. She needed like proof and she needed to whatever. So then she finally was like, okay, we got to get these girls out of this. So then we kind of like me and Morgan and another influencer, marissa, and we like teamed up, we're calling attorneys, we're like trying to figure out, because we're like we technically are all on this contract, we're all on contracts until whenever, like a couple months, we saw a couple months in our contract and like we were like we have to get out of this, we can't, whatever were you ever paid.
Speaker 4:Well, she said, she got her I know I actually I was never paid from my because we. So basically what we ended up doing is like it was this crazy week and we were like we have to get everybody out of this, whatever. And we basically like said in our we all like wrote letters to her, like from an attorney not from an attorney, but like they helped us write it and we just said, like you, you know, breached your contract, that uh xyz. Because oh, she also was saying that if you broke your contract, then we have to pay her like thousands of dollars so that's yeah.
Speaker 4:So we were. I was like okay, so I will breach my contract and I will forfeit the like 700 that I'm owed through a partnership so that I don't have to pay you and whatever. And that was agreed upon, and I was out, and then everybody else kind of did the same thing. We watched it literally fall within like two days of like once, me and a couple of girls.
Speaker 2:Did that hurt your relationships with the people in town, like the businesses? No, no Because everybody.
Speaker 4:yeah, because at first it was kind of like it was very no one was really talking about it. We didn't want to talk about it too much because we all wanted to get out first, because we didn't want her to like screw us over. And then once me and the like two main girls who were doing this once we got out and then we started to reach out to the rest of the clients and just be like hey, this is what happened, get out of your contract. So people started getting out. And then we see that she sends an email out to like the remaining clients and they're like hey, like things are going on, I'm scaling back the business or something.
Speaker 3:And then it was like- Things are going on, you're finding out.
Speaker 4:Then the next day it was oh, we're closed out of business. So it was this. Literally all happened like that. So then, once it was closed, then we were like, oh, we can talk about this more, right?
Speaker 4:and then we started and then we called this agency that we had been worked, that like we had been working legacy digital, which I can say this, but then they're amazing and they had been working closely with us, with all these influencers and different projects and whatever, and like we called them to say, hey, like we're, this is, this is a really bad situation going on, like when we called them before our management team closed but to fill them in.
Speaker 4:So then it's like then we kind of started. You know, I started posting a little bit about it and then people would be like, oh, is this about so-and-so? Like we had a really crazy interaction. So then they were trying to like not only poach influencers. Then they're starting to poach, like local small businesses to get them involved and get them, you know, take their money and market them.
Speaker 2:There definitely seems a place in Charleston to be a management agent for influencers.
Speaker 3:Is there one now? There's not one now.
Speaker 4:Well, that is actually one of my things. You should start this I kind of have thought about it Now that I'm in a very interesting part in in my career right now and I'm like maybe I should.
Speaker 2:There is definitely there's a need for this.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it was just very like charlotte doing anything or even she does influencer marketing.
Speaker 4:Charlotte burger yeah, but they yeah, I guess there's a difference between like influencer marketing versus like influencer management.
Speaker 2:They're partnering with the already established. Like we need someone to manage the influencers.
Speaker 4:Charlotte's partnering with the influencers for marketing purposes, like her clients are restaurants and stuff, and so she's like she's contacting the influencers, working with them on their rates, that kind of thing whereas, instead of working with a management team, they could just right, she wants people to help her find gigs, right, yeah that's basically like, like what, because they're just if the contracts do all that?
Speaker 1:because that's another thing pitch.
Speaker 4:Yeah, because it's just, yeah, pitching and figuring that kind of stuff out and like also helping you come up with ideas and like it was for those couple months. It was amazing. I I was like, wow, they, it gave me a lot of confidence, because I was like, oh, like people outside of my own brain like believe in my brand and believe in what I want to create. And then when that all went away, away, I was like, oh, my God, what the hell do I do now?
Speaker 4:And it was very and that kind of was very, and that was like October, mid-october, something like that. When that all went down, I was like okay, and it's just kind of made me like, excuse me, what lessons did you learn from all of this that you would tell others oh my gosh, so many things, don't be so trusting of people. I think that's a big thing that I've learned in influencing and in Charleston in general and like not in Charleston, I guess, just influencing, because I'm very much someone where I am a very trusting person. I think I like it's a good thing in some ways.
Speaker 4:But then other times it's like okay, some people do have bad intentions and I think I, if I feel comfortable with you, like oh, I'm going to start talking and I'm going to give you my ideas and I'm going to whatever.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 4:And then people can take that and do whatever they want. Because that's what she tried to come back on me once I got on my contract and say oh, we talked about this idea, it's technically. I technically partially own this idea Also, not just you and Charleston Diaries, I own it too, so you owe me money, oh my Does she still live in Charleston. No, she left, but we all realized that that was nonsense.
Speaker 1:I'm going to be Googling her immediately.
Speaker 3:Oh, I'll tell you who it is.
Speaker 2:I'm so curious.
Speaker 4:But yeah, no, I think the main thing that I learned is, yeah, don't be so trusting, follow your gut. I did. I think I was really not desperate, but I, I really needed help. I think at that time, at the time that she came in, it was the perfect storm like it was, like I needed help, so bad that I was kind of like probably ignored. Maybe some gut feelings that's predatory.
Speaker 3:You know that's predatory because you kind of know that people in the influencing world need help because, they want to do the influencing, not the day job that they have.
Speaker 4:I'm sure so it's kind of predatory in that in that way and she was grabbing like yeah, people like me who are like small-ish creators but like big enough exactly we're in this awkward like the micro, yeah, but but you know we do enough, especially around charleston, that it's like, it is like a full time thing, but it's like you know, we do need help getting paid more and obviously people brands respect you more if you, if someone else is speaking for you, you know, like it's just kind of.
Speaker 2:that is what it is, and you know it makes you sound more legit. And yeah, how do you want brands to contact you?
Speaker 4:Um, my ideal situation is a brand emails me with an idea and like their budget, because it gets hard when, like sometimes.
Speaker 2:So you want to know the budget up front.
Speaker 4:That would be ideal, okay, because a lot of times it's like brands will reach out and be like, hey, we'd love to partner.
Speaker 3:I'm like okay, what's your budget? So what are?
Speaker 4:you thinking.
Speaker 1:Give me an idea.
Speaker 2:All right.
Speaker 4:And I obviously love having like creative freedom, but I you got to give me like some sort of structure idea and yeah, and it's like and a budget, like at least tell me kind of what you're working with, because I'll give you my rates and then they'll come back and be like oh no, sorry, whatever, we can only pay you a hundred dollars. I'm like okay, well, you're asking me for like three videos.
Speaker 4:It's like you know, yeah, so it is I, and I think, but I also think for a while that brands didn't know how to right as your ideal client?
Speaker 2:like is your ideal client? Like what I know? You mentioned nonprofits, but I know you go to a lot of restaurants. What's your ideal client?
Speaker 4:I love restaurants. I love also, like I, I guess like products-wise, like I like getting things that I can incorporate into my day-to-day life, whether it's like a kind of alcohol or a kind of food, and like I can make it in a Charles and Darius video Because I kind of food and like I can make it in a Charles and Darius video because I always like. That's why I also struggled, I think, to get not get brand deals, but to like work with brands that I'm like I'm not going to just accept anything because I don't want it to like I don't want to be a sellout and, just like people, be like oh yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:I feel like you're underselling yourself because you have like 3.4 million likes on tiktok, oh my gosh yeah she's got a great following, like over 64 000 followers on tiktok I saw this really cute video.
Speaker 3:I saw a bunch of your cute videos too, but I saw another one and this woman went from bar to bar, asking the bartenders where they go have I saw that she, she does that like in different cities.
Speaker 4:I'm like what a cool sense really cool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it must be like a couple of days worth of footage because she was drinking a lot during the video.
Speaker 4:That's what she said I was like reading the comments.
Speaker 3:I didn't read the comments.
Speaker 4:Someone asked that and I think she said like three to four days.
Speaker 3:I'm like I need to be her friend.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but that's yeah, that was a really cool idea. That was a fun idea, it's just borrowing and making it better. Well, and that's the thing Everybody on like, there's no.
Speaker 3:What are you going to do differently than everybody else? Yeah?
Speaker 4:And on social media everybody does have. Like, you are almost copying off of people.
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, the whole trends. Yeah, that's what the trend is. Yeah, and it's not malicious, it's just like what happens, right, so Awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot, and I feel like it's interesting to hear your take because other people are probably listening to this we're not old speak for yourself, just saying we're in the same age group um, but yeah. So what's next for you? I know that you're like in transition right now, like what is ideal next for you that's a great question and that is what I'm trying to figure out.
Speaker 4:It's very like.
Speaker 2:I like the idea of you opening your own agency for influencers.
Speaker 4:Well, I'll just share this with everybody who's listening. I did get a full-time job earlier this year and it was good. I liked it, and I just recently got let go because it was a budgeting thing. I worked for a startup. It was a budgeting thing and they just kind of were like we can't. I said, okay, it's a marketing space, then she's interviewed with all the people.
Speaker 2:I would already suggest we had this conversation before Anyone we've had on the podcast. I've suggested her. She's had interviews with them.
Speaker 4:And it's funny because it's like I was in Charleston for almost two years before I started influencing and I was applying to so many jobs and all the agencies and whatever, and I would get to almost getting the job and it didn't work out and then I become an influencer, and these are all the agencies that reach out to me for events and and all that kind of stuff, and it's just funny how it works out.
Speaker 4:But yeah, I'm in a space right now where I like I I need a job, I think, because I need money. But, grand scheme of like what I want to do, it's like I'm kind of like refinding my, my spark and my passion and I'm kind of just like I don't know I I do love hosting events. I don't know if that's what I want to do. I I, because I'm like it's there's a lot more, which I'm sure you guys know, like there's a lot more that goes into events oh my gosh, it's a team of people.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's a team of people, and it's always just been me and I'm like oh, it's no, you don't need that.
Speaker 3:Well, you know what? It's not just you anymore, nicole, yeah, you're here, you found us, the ama family yes, that is so true. Yes I totally want to collab on an event yeah like we got to figure that out oh for sure, spark. We need help with spark so I'm talking to aaf, yeah, and then we're hoping to have a collab with the american advertising federation and the american marketing association have a big A big event because they do the Addies If you guys are familiar with the.
Speaker 3:Addies. That's a huge event that goes from local, regional to district to national level. Our Spark Awards is only local, so we can combine. I think there's a way. I just need to get some smart brains together and figure out a way to collab with them. Anyways, that was just hot, fresh conversation. I had last night, uh, with jenna yeah, a past podcast episode that we had. She's super smart, she's heading up the aaf. I'm like why let's just collab?
Speaker 1:yeah, what are we doing?
Speaker 3:I love it, yeah, you know that's what we're trying to build here is support. So I was even preaching to stephanie before you got there I'm like she's, like I'm so stressed. You have support, busy and stressed. Yeah, I'm so stressed and busy. You have support, like reach out to the ama people. Yeah, we all want to help. That's why we're here yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I'm excited to see where life takes you me too. Yeah, what?
Speaker 1:kind of marketing. What can we get? Let's get a job.
Speaker 3:Let's get her a job first. Like what like pr, like we talked about something I think what I've.
Speaker 4:This has also been a good time for me to like really think about what I want and like my skills and stuff and I think I I want to be like a creative person, like obviously in marketing, whatever. But I'm like creative director, creative something yes, I think I am very good at coming up with ideas and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 3:You know we should let your listeners tell us comment in the comment box below. What do you think?
Speaker 4:yeah, what do you guys think you guys give me a job?
Speaker 2:I think you should go to agencies and pitch and start a new you know under under their umbrella brand what you want to do. But with agency support, oh, that's a good idea like go to someone like in the black marketing and be like what do we start a division amongst in the black that I run doing influencer management?
Speaker 3:Right. What do you need? What do they need? Survey all the agencies.
Speaker 2:This is not. This is a need, a niche need in the area of Charleston. So like they don't have it.
Speaker 3:And you already have a roster of people. Yeah, and you could do you know the southeast, even you can expand a savannah and myrtle beach and just don't do what that one lady did.
Speaker 2:No, yeah oh, you already know that with agency support, you know, you could probably make it happen pretty quickly.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's so true I don't know you're on to something yep, chat it, chat chibi tea yeah, oh for sure I'm gonna whatever same I love yes well I think we've chatted about all of it, haven't?
Speaker 3:we is there anything else that you wanted to talk about? Is there any foundations that? You are near and dear to your heart. Is there anything? How do we find you? Oh, you can find me Well minus the millions of people that already know you.
Speaker 4:How does anybody else find you On Instagram, nicole underscore Farina and TikTok Nicole dot Farina.
Speaker 2:Those are my two active platforms.
Speaker 4:right now I do a podcast, but I haven't now the charleston diary's taken no you should take it, just I do.
Speaker 2:Oh, I have it. I have the charleston instagram, I just haven't?
Speaker 4:you know, with everything going on, we just put a little pin that's just a cool name, I just want to I know, and that's why I'm like I just trademark it yes, thank you yeah, so I, the charleston, is not going away. I just think.
Speaker 4:I'm just still like there's more to it and I think that's like a very frustrating thing of like I'm like I know that there's more and I know that the way of me flushing it out worked like last time when I was first creating it, but I'm like I know that there's more and I just like can't figure out exactly what it is yet, but it'll come but it is such a good name and I love it.
Speaker 2:I'm like I just it's gonna obviously like on the brand marketing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it took us a year to name that.
Speaker 2:We had all of these cool names and we've really workshopped this, but I like for SEO purposes at the Charleston Diaries. I know exactly what I'm signing up for.
Speaker 3:Exactly.
Speaker 2:That's great Perfect. Good work Wonderful, awesome.
Speaker 3:We'll all figure it out together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly All right. Well, you want to close? Close us out, well who do you think charleston media solutions yep, uh, jerry feels good jerry feels good with the beats I just like saying that he does um thank you, matthew kelly kelly showed up late.
Speaker 3:It's okay, cal, you're a busy lady lady.
Speaker 2:You're a busy lady taking our photos and videos behind the scenes yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 3:Thank you, nicole, it was a pleasure yeah, it's so nice to meet you.
Speaker 2:You're precious. I can't wait to see you out in the world. Thank you.
Speaker 3:Out in the wild.
Speaker 2:Out in the wild doing her thing. Yes, all right, folks.
Speaker 3:Well, we'll talk to you next time, all right?
Speaker 2:Bye, peace out, charleston, bye.
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